


the boy(s) next door

by syazzypanda



Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Gen, M/M, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:20:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28356882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syazzypanda/pseuds/syazzypanda
Summary: The three guys moved into the apartment across the corridor in October 2019.
Relationships: Charlie St. George/Alex Standall
Comments: 13
Kudos: 108
Collections: Chalex Holiday Exchange 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [closetfascination](https://archiveofourown.org/users/closetfascination/gifts).



> For Lisa <3 Hope you like it. I tried to incorporate all your ships.

**5th October 2019  
** **4:00PM**

“We have new neighbours,” Zach announced in lieu of hello as Alex exited his room. The taller boy was standing in their kitchen, a fresh cup of coffee in hand and his scarf still tucked around his neck.

“Oh,” Alex replied simply, dropping himself onto the couch. “Cool. An answer to a question I didn’t ask, but still cool.”

Zach rolled his eyes but still--call it force of habit, call it the things you pick up once you live with someone--poured out a second cup of coffee for Alex. He carried both cups over and sat beside his friend. “We should go over and say hi.”

“Um, we don’t live in the suburbs. What if they’re serial killers?”

“One of them gave me some cookies he said he made himself for helping him with his bags,” Zach took a sip of his coffee. 

The third bedroom door opened and Jessica plodded out, still in her pyjamas and with socks on both feet. A pair of glasses rested on the bridge of her nose. She looked like a sleepy librarian, and somehow she still had to get a word in, “Could have laced it with cyanide, did it smell like almonds?” She stood beside Alex and took a sip from his cup, placing it back in his hand when she was done. 

“I really doubt the preppy dude who gave me chocolate chip cookies is a serial killer.”

“What if he’s just trying to trick you into accepting normal cookies until one day he laces them with cyanide?” Alex Standall; hungry and sarcastic. 

“Or trying to Pavlov you into helping him with cookies?” Jessica Davis; sleepy and suspicious. 

Zach looked between his two friends and deadpanned, “This attitude is exactly why we have no other friends here.”

“God,” Alex announced, dropping his head almost dramatically against the couch, “Now I want a cookie.”

“Well let’s go over and meet our new neighbours and maybe get some cookies,” Zach suggested.

Jessica eyed him. With her glasses it almost made her seem like a suspicious owl. “Why are you so gung ho on meeting them?”

“Gee, I don’t know, Jess,” Zach at this point truly looked exasperated, “Maybe I saw three guys our age moving into the apartment across the hall and thought that it would be nice to not have racist old people or someone who was clearly a cult member, I don’t know there was a lot of weird shit happening, living next to us.”

“Hey,” Jessica said, “Cult guy defended me once from the racists.”

“Did he do it in his weird ass robe and try to get you to join his cult after that?” Zach responded.

“To be honest, I think he was just _really_ into Dungeons and Dragons.”

“If he was-”

Alex raised his hands in a placating gesture, holding an arm out towards both of them, “Ok, fine. _Fine._ Zach, we’ll go meet the neighbours. Just let me finish my coffee.”

It took another few minutes for them to get ready. This was because by then Jessica had drank most of Alex’s coffee, so Alex had made her pour him a new one, and after waiting for it to cool a little bit more and finally draining his cup, then finally, _finally_ , the occupants of apartment B-23 went across the hall to apartment B-21. 

Alex rapped on the door with his knuckles, Zach and Jessica standing just slightly behind him. It occurred to him as his knuckles connected that they should have brought over some housewarming gift, but even as the thought crossed his mind he knew that it was a moot point. What the hell did they even have in the apartment that could be offered? Leftover Taco Bell? Some lasagna that should have been tossed out at least a day ago? Come to think of it, that was exactly the sort of gift you’d bring to make sure that the first interaction would also be the last. How could they eve-

That was when the door opened and suddenly Alex’s mind went blank, lips falling open to form a sound that was a shocked, but ultimately pleasant, “ _Oh”._ Another few heartbeats passed where he had to gather his thoughts beyond ‘gorgeous’ and ‘oh shit’ and another singular ‘ _oh_ ’. 

**5th October 2019  
** **4:13PM**

“Someone’s at the door,” Luke announced, “Diego, can you get that?”

“I’m a little busy!” Diego shouted back from his room. “Charlie?”

“I’ll get it,” Charlie said, setting the last of their mugs into the kitchen cabinet. There was still a lot more to go and the three unopened boxes with Luke’s scribbled ‘KITCHEN STUFF’ on top was a testament to that. He washed his hands by the sink, drying it off on his shirt quickly before darting towards the front door. 

They weren’t expecting anyone. Unless it’s the landlord already coming to tell them to shut up. This thought was quickly dismissed however, Luke and Diego didn’t even have time to plug in their sound system or cause the smoke detector to go off yet. Charlie usually tried to look more put together when accepting guests, but given the circumstances (in this case ‘circumstances’ being Diego accidentally spilling his soda over Charlie when he was trying to balance it on one of his many boxes) all he had managed to change into was a crumpled T-shirt and the first pair of shorts he could find. His other clothes were still in a box which Luke had helpfully marked as ‘CHARLIE’S BOX OF PREP’. 

So that was when Charlie opened the door, and for a good few heartbeats almost forgot his own name. 

“Oh.”

“Hi.”

* * *

**31st October 2019  
** **10:20PM**

Alex did not enjoy Halloween in the city. It was rowdy, loud, a gateway to casual racism, and the street smelled stronger of piss and booze than most nights. Great. 

He had just skirted past a street party--and nearly accosted by someone in a Power Rangers costume who he was 90% sure was trying to sell him some weed--and ducked into the apartment block, grateful to be away from the crowd and smells. The ride up to the 7th floor was blessedly quiet, and Alex let out a sigh of relief. 

He had no assignments due for the next few weeks. Jessica and Zach were both out for the night. It was just going to be him, Netflix, and leftovers from last night. _Great._

Then the door to the elevator opened, and Alex… didn’t really know what he was looking at. Not initially. Not for a good 5 seconds it took him to step out and step closer for a better look.

Luke and Charlie were standing by their door. It took another few seconds for Alex to properly acknowledge what exactly he was seeing. For one, both boys were in costume. Luke was dressed in what seemed like a black robe, dark material draped all around him and swirling as he moved. Which seemed to be a lot, for some reason. 

Charlie stood beside him. Alex gawked. He was dressed as- “Are you dressed as a _stripper_?”

Charlie jerked at Alex’s voice, whipping around to face him in what was, very clearly a stripper butler costume. Alex could even make out the edges where the velcro met at his tear away pants. What the fuck. 

“I’m not! I’m James Bond.”

“Dude,” Alex took another step closer towards them, taking in the vie- _no_. “Dude,” he repeated. “That’s a stripper outfit.”

Charlie’s head whipped around to Luke, expression equal parts frantic and accusing. “You said you got this at the costume shop.”

Luke, who now Alex could make out had paper mache horns on his head, shrugged, “Yeah, I did? It was the only thing they had that looked semi-like James Bond. I’m not a miracle worker, St George.” His eyes seemed a little glazed and they both smelled faintly of booze, but other than that Luke didn’t look much worse for wear. 

Luke lifted his arm, peeling away a sheath of fabric and suddenly Alex could see what was making his robe move all that time. Tucked against Luke’s chest and hidden away by the fabric, was an impossibly small, impossibly adorable cream coloured puppy. Said puppy had a mouthful of Luke’s robes, tugging and pawing at him playfully. 

Alex gasped.

“We found him in the drain a few blocks away,” Charlie offered. He seemed to slouch a little now, arms crossed over his chest with the impossibly tight suit. How did he not realise it was a stripper outfit? “So I had to get him out cause Luke’s robe would be harder to clean.”

So Charlie St. George rescued a puppy from a drain dressed as stripper James Bond. Now that was something Alex wished he could have seen. Just for entertainment value. Nothing more. It wasn’t that he wanted to think of the way Charlie’s costume left little to the imagination, no, not at all. It was just an interesting image. 

The puppy had dropped the mouthful of robe and had turned its impossibly large eyes, doe-brown eyes to Alex who didn’t even try to resist before reaching out to scratch it behind the ears. “What are you guys planning to do then?”

“I thought of rehoming him but Luke already named him on the way back.”

“His name is Tigers and he’s our mascot,” Luke almost chirped in glee. 

“Tigers as in… plural? More than one tiger?”

“Yes.”

Alex was starting to wonder if he was drunker than he seemed. He raised an eyebrow, “So you have a dog now?”

Charlie shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. “Seems like it.”

“Cool, I love dogs,” Alex replied. The puppy was now slobbering all over his fingers and Alex tapped its little wet nose with his thumb playfully. 

Alex didn’t understand what happened next, but it was almost as if he had triggered something in Luke who suddenly announced loudly, eyes almost comically wide as he addressed Alex, “You should have seen Charlie trying to save him. He looked like a sexy hero stripper.”

Alex excused himself soon after, ducking into his apartment if not just to spare Charlie more embarrassment judging by the red blooming in his cheeks. 

If only he could banish the image of the “sexy hero stripper” whenever he closed his eyes. _Great._

* * *

**15th November 2019  
** **11:00AM**

November brought along darker days and chillier winds, and Alex was thankful for the communal thermos of hot chocolate out in the living room. It had been his idea a while back, and it took little convincing for Zach and Jessica to agree for easy access to a hot drink as the weather got colder. So that was the story of the communal thermos, and failure to refill it was a punishable offence comparable to nothing. 

Or something like that, Jessica had yelled a lot of things the last time Zach had emptied the thermos and didn’t refill it. 

So there was Alex, socks on his cold feet and a warm mug of hot chocolate in hand. He took a sip, and in the space between tasting and swallowing Alex heard a panicked, muffled cry of “ _TIGERS NO_!”, followed by an excited bark and the pitter-patter of paws out in the corridor. 

Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was just a strong pull and the opportunity to pet a dog, but Alex opened the front door. 

Several things happened at once. The first thing was when something small and fast and very, _very_ wet came yelping through Alex’s legs. He jumped back a little, grabbing onto the doorknob in surprise. Now, _this_ was because Alex was staring at a very wet, very shirtless Charlie in the corridor. Luke stood behind him, fully dressed, with a bag slung over his shoulder. 

“I’m so sorry, Alex,” Charlie gasped. “I was trying to give Tigers a bath. He got excited and ran out when Luke came back.”

Luke almost looked offended, “How come you never get that excited when I come home?” 

Alex turned around, glancing into the apartment. Judging from the wet paw prints, it seemed as if Tigers had made at least a loop around the living room before settling himself comfortably under the coffee table. 

“We’ll get him and clean up his mess,” Charlie offered. 

Alex found himself distracted by the way Charlie’s hair plastered onto his forehead, the water still dripping down his bare chest. The shorts he was wearing were drenched as well, sticking to his ski- _Stop._

 _“_ Yeah, uh, no big deal,” Alex said. He didn’t know why he had to add more information, but he did anyway, “I had dogs growing up, so I’m sorta used to this.”

“I’ll get him, Charlie’s gonna make an even bigger mess,” Luke announced. He ducked into the apartment, making a beeline for the puppy that seemed intent on chewing through the wooden leg of the coffee table. That left Alex alone with Charlie in the corridor. Alex’s heart raced, his mind caught between the sounds of Luke’s cooing behind him and the silence between them as he tried his best to keep his eyes from straying. 

Alex’s hand flexed around his mug of hot chocolate and it hit him: Most people like hot chocolate. It wouldn’t be weird. Then again he also had a wet puppy under his coffee table, a buff blond dude on his knees trying to get said puppy out, and a very attractive boy standing two feet away from him in just a pair of drenched shorts. This probably is the sixth weird thing to happen today, so why care anymore?

“Do you want a drink?” He offered his mug to Charlie, “It’s hot chocolate.”

“I’d love some, thank you.” Charlie smiled, gratefully accepting the mug.

Alex hurriedly stuffed his hand into his pocket, as if trying to extinguish the warmth that shot through his hand when their fingers brushed.

**15th November 2019  
** **11:25AM**

Luke didn’t waste his time as soon as the door to their apartment closed behind them, Tigers tucked under one arm. He turned to Charlie, “You should ask him out.”

“I… want to,” Charlie looked dazed. His right hand flexed by his side. He had barely touched Alex, but the surge of electricity that shot up his arm when their fingers brushed had almost caused the mug to slip from his fingers, “What if he’s, ah, not into guys?”

“Well, he did seem to like looking at you out there,” Luke said coyly, “So I think your chances are good.”

Charlie looked thoughtful, inhaling deeply as if to gather his thoughts. 

Luke cleared his throat. He hoisted Tigers up closer to his face, positioning the puppy to look directly at Charlie, “Just know that if you don’t, you’ll disappoint both of us.”

* * *

**25th November 2019  
** **2:00PM**

After a morning of helping Jess and Zach with their luggage, after fighting both his friends off with reassurances that _yes, Jess I’ll be fine on my own for a few days_ and _no, Zach I do not need the fire marshall on speed dial_ and _Guys I have so much to do I don’t have time to be lonely_ , after waving off his friends as they pulled out of the parking lot in Zach’s Audi and Alex realised that it had been actual years since he’s been entirely alone, after all that…

Alex found himself sitting in the living room, idly scrolling through his phone as he tried to figure out what to do next. He did have a lot of work, that wasn’t a lie, but the pin drop silence in the apartment was almost unnerving without the usual hustle and bustle of three college students sharing the space. 

It was possibly because of the pin drop silence that Alex heard what he heard. It was possible that the entire trajectory of his life could have gone differently if he hadn’t.

There were footsteps out in the corridor, footsteps that stopped near their unit. There was a voice too, just one voice, it sounded like the other person was on their phone, “It’s okay, Dad. I have enough food and Tigers to keep me company.”

Charlie. 

He still didn’t know what possessed him to do what he did. Years later and Alex would describe this moment as the catalyst to their future. Charlie would agree. But that was still somewhere down the line, and a story that they would tell and retell throughout the years. That on November 25th, 2019, Alex Standall heard Charlie St. George, got up, crossed the room and opened the front door. 

**25th November 2019  
** **2:02PM**

Charlie had just slipped his phone back into his pocket and was fumbling with the lock when he heard the sound of a door opening behind him. And a voice--beautiful, familiar--called out, “Hey, Charlie.”

Charlie turned. Alex was standing in his doorway, wearing a pair of shorts and a loose T-shirt. “Hi, Alex. Are you going anywhere for the break?”

Alex shook his head, “Nope. How about you?”

“Just going to be here,” Charlie shifted his weight, readjusting the grocery bag in his arm. “Diego took off last week and I just dropped off Luke at the airport. It’s just me and Tigers.”

“Sounds fun.”

“Yeah,” Charlie smiled. 

Alex smiled back. And that smile was enough to short circuit Charlie’s thoughts. 

_Shit, what do I say what do I say what do I s-_ “Do you want to come over for dinner tomorrow night?”

There was a slight ripple to Alex’s expression, almost imperceptible. In fact, it was just a slight hike of his eyebrows. It was enough to make Charlie’s heart leap to his throat. He tried to form words around the lump, “I mean, um, with me and T. If you don’t, uh, have any plans?”

Alex smiled, “Sounds like good company.” 

* * *

**The Boys R Back**

_**Luke Holliday:** How do you get rid of pasta and blood stains? _

_**Diego Torres:** lmao Luke what did you do _

_**Luke Holliday:** not for me just helping my sister _

_**Diego Torres:** what did SHE do? _

_**Charlie St. George:** guys I just invited Alex to dinner _

_**Luke Holliday:** wow I left and St George is already getting it on _

_**Luke Holliday:** you didn’t waste any time _

_**Luke Holliday:** would be offended but also get it dude _

_**Charlie St. George:** no not like that!!! _

_**Diego Torres:** use protection and don't do it in my room please _

_**Charlie St. George:** why do I tell u guys anything _

* * *

**26th November 2019  
** **11:00PM**

After dinner, after arguing with Alex who tried to clean up afterwards, after coming to an agreement and cleaning up together, after dodging Luke and Diego’s many, many texts about the dinner, after all that...

They ended up sitting on the couch, Tigers snuggled between them with his head on Alex’s lap. Charlie wondered if it was wrong to feel a pang of jealousy over it, or if it was just the wine in his system somehow making him feel jealous over a _dog_.

“I think I’ll head back now, Charlie.”

It was a slip of the tongue, it was a reflex from years of caring for drunk friends and people who would come to his house late, but the words came out anyway: “You can sleep on the couch if you want?”

Alex’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline, and Charlie could have punched himself in the mouth. “Uh, my bed is 20 feet away. But thanks?”

Charlie’s ears felt hot, “Y-Yeah. Sorry, force of habit.”

* * *

**25th December 2019**

Everyone left for Christmas.

* * *

**_Charlie St. George:_ ** _Hey, merry Christmas!_

 **_Charlie St. George:_ ** _[image1310.png]_

_[Image description: Charlie in a dorky Christmas sweater, hugging Tigers who has a Santa hat and fluffy white beard clipped on]_

**_Alex Standall:_ ** _Merry Christmas_

 **_Alex Standall:_ ** _I don’t have anything cute to reply with lol_

 **_Charlie St. George:_ ** _What do you mean? I appreciate Christmas themed selfies :D_

 **_Alex Standall:_ ** _[image143.png]_

_[Image description: Lanky, pale boy wearing an elf costume, halfway through eating a hot dog.]_

**_Alex Standall:_ ** _Merry Christmas from Tyler the Elf and me_

 **_Charlie St. George:_ ** _Is your friend cosplaying with the spirit of Christmas or is it work?_

 **_Charlie St. George:_ ** _Merry Christmas Tyler the Elf_

 **_Alex Standall:_ ** _Work. I’m here for moral support._ ****

**_Charlie St. George:_ ** _Not in costume?_

 **_Alex Standall:_ ** _Maybe I can borrow your stripper outfit sometime. In the spirit of Christmas._


	2. Chapter 2

**21st January 2020  
** **12:30AM**

Charlie knew that he was fucked when he reached into his pocket and instead of his keys, felt his fingers brush against (in this exact order): a condom, a single loose gummy bear, and a membership card for a sandwich bar in town. The second realisation was that he must’ve accidentally taken Diego’s jacket instead. And that must mean that Diego had his keys. Diego, who is at the bar across town. At 12.30AM. Shit. 

Charlie sighed, running a hand through his hair in thought. He didn’t mind walking back, but he would be lying to say that he was looking forward to it. A thought flashed through his head, brief yet bright like a comet. He  _ could _ try his luck with Alex and his roommates. 

That wouldn’t work. It’s late. They were probably asleep. Anyway, how would he even have that conver-

As if summoned, the door behind him swung open and there stood Alex. Hair mussed, an oversized shirt hanging off his frame. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed. Judging by his yawn, he probably did. 

“Do you need a place to stay the night?”

“H-Huh?”

“Diego told Jess and she called me about him having your keys.” Another yawn. “You can have the couch if you want it.”

“Oh,” Charlie exhaled. “Thanks. Did- Did you just wake up?”

“Yeah, I did,” Alex shrugged. A side of his T-shirt slipped past his shoulder. Charlie tried his best to not stare. “Can’t leave you out here. Come on in. I’ll get you a blanket.”

Later, tucked under the blanket on a couch that just barely fit him, dressed in clothes that Alex had given him for the night, Charlie tried to not think of Alex--10 feet away from him in his own room. It was difficult, if not just because the shirt he was wearing smelled like him. As did the blanket.

Charlie eventually did fall asleep, and he wouldn’t tell anyone about the dream where he had his head in Alex’s lap. Not for a while, at least.

* * *

**1st February 2020  
** **3:15PM**

“Hold the door, please!” Charlie yelled, jogging to catch the elevators before the door completely slid shut. 

The doors pulled open, and Charlie found himself face-to-face with none other than Zach Dempsey. He had a takeaway box in one hand from the Vietnamese restaurant down the street, the other wrapped in a white-knuckled grip around his bag strap. His expression was drawn, worried, and the tight smile he offered Charlie barely reached his eyes.

“Thanks, Zach.” The doors closed behind him and the lift moved with a deep mechanical groan. Charlie waited a moment, considering the possibility that his question might be too nosy, but deciding against it as it was in his nature to care, “Is everything okay?”

Zach hummed, looking distractedly at the LED panel as they ascended, “Alex isn’t feeling too great. I got him some food.”

Something stirred in Charlie’s gut, “What happened? Is he hurt?”

The doors opened and Zach was out like a bullet, Charlie on his heels. Zach was already fishing in his pocket for his keys as they approached the front door. “He’ll be okay.”

“Can I help with anything?” Charlie wondered if his voice came out as shaky as he felt, the not knowing and uncertainty forming a tight knot in his chest. 

Zach unlocked and pushed open the door. Charlie looked over his shoulder, and there, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands and barely moving, was Alex. He didn’t react to the door opening, didn’t react to the sound of Zach dropping his bag on the floor, and Charlie felt the worry climb up the back of his throat.

Zach crossed the room and knelt in front of Alex. When he spoke his voice was so soft that Charlie almost missed it entirely, “Hey man, I brought you some food. How’re you feeling?”

“Mhm, Zach.” Alex's voice sent a darting pain through Charlie’s chest. He sounded small, “Head hurts.”

“I’ll get you some water and you can lay down for a bit, is that okay?” Zach’s eyes darted towards Charlie, “Charlie’s here too.”

“Hi, Alex,” Charlie said, matching Zach’s tone, “Um, I have a weighted blanket. Would that help?”

Zach had his hand on Alex’s knee, “Do you want a weighted blanket, Alex?”

“Y-Yes.”

* * *

**2nd February 2020  
** **9:00AM**

Charlie opened the front door at the knock and found Alex out in the corridor. Charlie’s blanket was folded over his arms. He seemed to have trouble looking him in the eye and held out the blanket, “I, uh, just wanted to return this. Thanks.”

“No worries,” Charlie replied. The blanket felt warm, and Charlie wondered if it was appropriate to hope that the blanket might already smell like Alex. He had wanted to stay after bringing it over the day before, but Jessica had arrived home and sent him back. “How are you feeling today?”

“I’m feeling better,” Alex’s expression was troubled, arms crossed tightly over his chest now that he didn’t have the blanket to hold on to. “I don’t know if Zach mentioned it, but, um, I have a TBI from a few years back. I’m fine now,” he paused, “Well, mostly fine. But some days it flares up if I don’t, um, get enough sleep or get too stressed out or something. Sorry you had to see that,” he finally met Charlie’s eyes and let out a shaky laugh, “So… God, you must think that I’m a freak.”

Charlie started, eyes wide, “N-No! No no, I don’t.” His hands flexed towards him, the instinct to grab onto Alex almost overwhelming. He stopped himself at the last moment, opting instead to let his hands drop back to his sides. “You’re inc-" Charlie caught himself at the last moment, "You're a good person."

Alex scoffed softly, “Deep down?”

“I don’t really believe in deep down,” Charlie shrugged, “I think you’re what you see, and the actions you do, and Alex, you are a very good person. I’m really glad to know you.” _I'm really glad that you're alright. That you're here._

Alex’s stare was disbelieving, but he had uncrossed his hands. “I’m… really glad to know you too, Charlie.”

**2nd February 2020  
** **12PM-9PM**

Charlie spent the day researching TBIs.

* * *

**15th March 2020  
** **2:00PM**

On his birthday, Alex opened the front door to Charlie holding a brand new weighted blanket, tied up with a lovely bow the same shade as Alex’s eyes. Charlie also asked him out. Alex said yes.

* * *

**17th March 2020  
** **5:15PM**

Charlie was nothing if not a romantic. He had envisioned that the first time he’d kiss Alex would be in the park at sunset, or on the beach at sunset, or even on the roof of their apartment complex (never mind that the door leading up to it is always locked) at sunset. He had imagined strolling across the corridor with a bouquet of flowers, sweeping Alex off his feet with a fancy dinner and kissing him until he forgot his own name. 

He hadn’t expected their first kiss to be out in the corridor. He hadn’t expected it to happen with his shoes soaked all the way through to his socks and Alex’s shirt damp from the puddle that Tigers had gleefully tugged them into on his walk. 

Alex leaned against the wall beside his front door, eyeing Tigers as the growing pup excitedly pounced around them, “You wouldn’t think he had an appetite for chaos just looking at him.”

“It’s the eyes,” Charlie laughed. He could hear the wet squish of his socks as he shuffled his feet about. Gross. “They’re deceptively innocent.”

“He gets the chaos from living with you guys.” Alex reached out and Tigers all but rammed his nose into his hand, eliciting a delighted laugh from Alex.

It was that laugh that did it. That laugh and those eyes and those lips and that  _ goodness _ in Alex. Charlie took half a step closer. Alex was looking up at him now, the ghost of a laugh still in his eyes. He looked curious. Expecting. 

“Alex,” Charlie breathed. He brought his hand up slowly, gently, cupping Alex’s jawline. His skin felt like it was on fire. “Alex,” Charlie repeated. His eyes trailed down to Alex’s lips and then back to his eyes. He didn’t pull him forwards, just held him there. The world could have ended outside this corridor and Charlie wouldn’t have given a damn. “Can I kiss you?”

Alex answered by leaning in, like a sunflower reaching for the sun, and gently pressed his lips against Charlie’s. It was chaste. Alex pulled back first, but his hands had found their way to Charlie’s shoulders, inching towards the slope of his neck so when Charlie kissed him again Alex pulled him closer. 

Charlie would have gladly kissed the other boy breathless even longer if Tigers hadn’t decided that he was done being ignored. 

Charlie’s hands had just fallen to Alex’s waist when a wet nose followed by an excitable bundle of fur rushed between them, yelping excitedly and jumping up against both of them. The two broke apart, although from the way Alex laughed as his armful of Charlie was replaced by an armful of dog it didn’t seem like he had any complaints. 

Charlie’s face was warm. He tugged gently at Tigers’ collar, “I-I’ll clean him up.”

“Okay,” Alex replied. His face was flushed. 

“I wanted to do that for so long,” Charlie admitted.

“Why did you wait?” Alex asked.

“I wanted you to be sure you wanted it too.”

**17th March 2020  
** **5:33PM**

Charlie’s face still felt warm as he wiped the mud off Tigers’ paws and body. He could have sworn the dog seemed smug. He scratched the top of his soft head, voice low and conspiratorial, “I actually kissed him, boy. And you saw it!”

Tigers responded by jumping forwards and licking him right across the face. 

* * *

_**Charlie St. George:** Got Tigers cleaned and finally got out of those wet socks _

_**Alex Standall:** yeah I got changed too_

_**Charlie St. George:** awesome_

_**Charlie St. George:** so… can we talk about it?_

_**Alex Standall:** Yeah come over the front door’s unlocked_

_**Alex Standall:** Jess and Zach aren’t around_

_**Charlie St. George:** Oh… :)_

* * *

**The Boys R Back**

_**Charlie St. George:** guys oh my god I kissed Alex_

_**Luke Holliday:** OH MY GOD _

_**Diego Torres:** TELL US EVERYTHING _

_**Luke Holliday:** OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD _

_**Luke Holliday:** don’t spare any detail_

_**Charlie St. George:** I’m going over to his place now I’ll tell you guys later_

_**Diego Torres:** USE PROTECTION_

* * *

**Apartment B-23 Support Group**

_**Alex Standall:** So… we kissed_

_**Zach Dempsey:** About time_

_**Jessica Davis:** Tongue?_

_**Alex Standall:** Yeah_

_**Jessica Davis:** Cool_


	3. Chapter 3

**April - May 2020**

When your friends start dating, group dynamics tend to change. At the start the opportunities and concerns seem endless: what if they don’t get along? What if they get along a bit too well like a house on fire? What if they  _ actually  _ set fire to something?

In the case of the occupants in Apartment B-23 and B-21, it was the latter. 

It started off with Charlie and Alex having the keys to the other’s apartments. It became a common occurrence for either Alex or Charlie to let themselves into either apartments. It was normal for Jessica to come back and find the couple curled up on the couch together, or for Luke to offer to get food from wherever he was only to have Charlie ask for an extra portion because Alex was staying for dinner. It was easy even in the delicacy, stitching together the tapestry of their lives. 

A few weeks later and the tapestry pulled the others into the stitches. On a Tuesday, Zach came back to find Diego and Charlie baking in their kitchen. Well, Charlie was baking. Diego was seated by the table, dipping his finger into the batter. The oven in their place didn’t burn as good, they said, and Zach couldn’t complain with a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies in his face. The following Saturday, Alex trudged across the hall only to find the front door already unlocked with Luke, Diego, and  _ Zach  _ piled into the living room playing on Luke’s brand new PS5. Alex and Charlie ended up leaving the apartment, opting instead to take TIgers out for a walk. 

As the October winds extinguished into yet another chilly November, movement between the two apartments almost became porous. Some weekends saw both apartment doors unlocked throughout the day as the six of them moved through the spaces as if it was one unit. Tigers seemed to have a hard time deciding on his favourite spot, alternating between the comfy sunlit spot in B-21’s living room and the end of Alex’s bed. 

* * *

**10th June 2020  
** **8:05AM**

After two years of living with Zach and Alex, Jessica thought that she had seen everything. 

She’d seen underwear out in the living room. She’d seen Alex devour a whole breakfast burrito at 2AM in his boxers. She’d seen him walk in with a single shoe and a plastic bag wrapped around his other foot and refuse to answer any questions. She’d seen him working on an assignment in full Assassin's Creed cosplay and had also  _ refused  _ to give her any answers on that other than a cryptic  _ ‘it’s for a bet’.  _

She’d seen Zach come into the apartment lugging a large aquarium and a tiny packet containing a tinier betta fish after getting it from the pet shop because ‘they have no fucking clue how to take care of their fish so  _ I have to do it’.  _ She’d seen Zach dote over it. She’d seen him practice presentations with it. One time she’d seen him take the fish out from the aquarium in a little glass bowl to walk around their apartment because, and this is a direct quote from Zach: “Nessie likes to sight see.”

She’d even attended the stupid fish’s stupid funeral. Zach was distraught for a good two weeks before Alex and herself decided to surprise him with another betta fish. They had scoured the aisles of the pet store for nearly an hour before selecting one, and they had been feeling pretty good about themselves. Until they walked into the house to see Zach fawning over  _ another betta  _ already swimming in Nessie’s old aquarium. 

Long story short the apartment now had two aquariums for Bigfoot and The Mothman. 

She’d thought nothing could surprise her anymore. Then came the morning that she walked into the living room in the morning to see Diego Torres sitting on  _ their _ couch and eating  _ their _ cereal from  _ her _ bowl at 8AM.

He was wearing a pair of sunglasses. He was also shirtless.

He must’ve not heard her come in, because it felt like she stood there for a while. Watching her somewh-  _ oh just get over yourself, Jess _ , very attractive neighbour somehow attractively eating cereal with a pair of stupid yet still somehow attractive sunglasses. Indoors. 

She finally cleared her throat, opting for the first question that came to mind. It was a pretty all-encompassing question, all things considering, “Diego, what are you  _ doing _ ?” 

Diego finally looked up, answering simply, “I was hungry and Zach said I could eat anything.”

“Zach knows you’re here?”

“Yeah, he let me in last night.” He took another bite of cereal, chewing as he went on, “Luke’s out of town and Charlie spent the night here and it got lonely in our apartment.”

“Charlie’s here?”

“With Alex. Woman, don’t you know what’s going on under your own roof?”

Jessica was not in the mood to get questioned by a man wearing sunglasses indoors, so instead she countered, “Why are you wearing sunglasses indoors?”

Here he had the decency to look sheepish. As sheepish as somebody could look while eating cereal shirtless while wearing a pair of sunglasses indoors at 8AM. “I binge watched How I Met Your Mother last night and had some beers. Woke up and the room was too bright.”

Well, that was as good an answer as any. Jessica resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. She really needed to expand her friend group. 

Diego patted the seat beside him, “I’m going to keep watching the show if you want to join? I’m up to season 7 now.”

**10th June 2020  
** **8:27AM**

Charlie had thought he had seen everything Luke and Diego could throw his way. 

Finding Diego and Jessica sitting out on the couch, sharing a bowl of cereal and watching How I Met Your Mother was something he hadn’t expected to see.

He greeted them both as he walked past, offering a “Dude, you look a little hungover,” to Diego. 

Diego lifted the sunglasses so that he was looking directly at Charlie through bloodshot eyes, “I’m actually a  _ lot  _ hungover.”

* * *

**June - September 2020**

In the summer, Charlie and Alex piled into Charlie’s car and took off on a two-week trip to Big Sur. The sunlit days they spent wandering through the coastal towns passed by in a haze of laughter and kisses and the lingering possibility of forever.

* * *

**13th October 2020**

Alex can’t believe that it took an entire year for him to find out that Luke ‘Dog Daddy’ Holliday was a Youtuber. 

“It was a project from high school,” Luke explained. The two were in B-21’s living room, eating leftover pasta from dinner the night before. “I wasn’t planning to continue, but it was really fun. And it got really useful in documenting my life over time.”

“That’s awesome, Luke,” Alex replied. 

Luke nodded, “Thanks. My fans really seem to like content about Tigers or you and Charlie.”

“ _ Your what likes what?” _

“Yeah, you guys are adorable. They call you Chalex,” Luke’s tone was casual. “Which reminds me, can I film in your living room later? The lighting there is way better.”

* * *

**25th November 2020  
** **9:30PM**

It was this sort of cyclical movement between the two units that led to the gang--and that was how they had started to view themselves too, a  _ gang _ \--piled into B-23’s apartment over chicken shawarma and some ciders, and realised that none of them were going back for Christmas this year.

“We should celebrate together!” Luke announced, enthusiastic as ever. “I can vlog about it.” 

Zach took a swig from his can, burping a bit before saying, “I assumed that both of that was going to happen.”

Jessica, squeezed in beside and partially on top of Diego in a single seater couch (“There isn’t enough space!”), reached out with her foot and poked Zach’s forearm, “You should invite Chloe too.”

“I can cook,” Charlie said. His arm was slung around Alex, his boyfriend pressed so close to his side that with the blanket tucked around them it was difficult to make out where Charlie ended and Alex began. Tigers lay sprawled across both of them, large enough now for his back legs to hang off Charlie’s lap and his head dangled almost as an offering between Alex and Zach who were contently taking turns petting him. Charlie squeezed Alex’s shoulder, “If that’s okay with everyone?”

It was the utter domesticity of the memory that would stick in their minds long after: Alex and Charlie indivisible, their friends warm and alive and together around them as the grey November evening trudged on outside the apartment. 

* * *

**25th December 2020  
** **6:27AM**

By all means Charlie was a heavy sleeper, but when Alex moved against him--his murmur of “Cold” still heavy with sleep--Charlie cracked his eyes open. Alex’s breathing fell easy from his lips, warm against the skin at the crook of Charlie’s neck. It made  _ him  _ shiver. 

It was still dark out, the whole world still and silent as if holding in a breath before the sun pierced the horizon. It was still enough for Charlie to imagine that this, this was it. This room, this love, this boy,  _ this.  _ This is real. This is the  _ only _ real thing. This is what the poets had written about, that had sent good men to war, a mirage some chase at the bottom of the bottle, that elusive thing that dances and giggles and shimmers just out of reach.

Alex was warm and alive and oh so real by his side, so he pulled Alex closer, tucking his boyfriend within the circle of his arms. Alex stirred at the movement, eyes flickering open slowly. His smile was soft, sleepy. It was a detached sort of bewilderment that Charlie wondered how can anyone be so beautiful, what he had done to deserve this, how seeing Alex’s face stir to life was like seeing the sunrise. 

Charlie closed the hairsbreadth of space between them and rested his forehead against Alex’s, the butterfly-flutter of his boyfriend’s eyelashes soft against his cheek. Charlie felt Alex’s arm curve around his hip, lazy and warm and heavy. The weight was grounding. 

A soft nose nudge, “Morning.”

“Mhm, morning handsome.”

Ah, the things Charlie would do to ensure that he’d wake up to this for the rest of his life.

Something in Alex’s expression shifted, although the sleep still made it soft, “You’re really looking that far ahead, huh?”

Charlie’s eyebrows knitted together, “What?”

“You want to wake up with me forever?”

Oh, shit. Charlie turned sheepish, realising that the sleep had addled his thoughts and mouth. “If you’ll have me,” he offered.

Alex’s eyes were clear, adoring, “That sounds nice. I’d like that.”

Their bodies were aligned now; foreheads down the slope of their noses, chests and arms and thighs down to their feet. Alex was so warm. So alive. It was a marvel how you could hold the same person and have the act still be a form of worship. 

They held each other until sleep crept under the blankets once more, closing their eyes and slowing their breathing. They slept through the first rays of morning sun creeping through the shutters, slept through the sounds of Jessica and Zach waking up and moving around in the living room, slept through Chloe's arrival and Zach's whoop of delight when he saw her. They only stirred when Luke's arrival was heralded by, "WHAT UP H-SQUAD IT'S A SPECIAL CHRISTMAS VLOG."

**25th December 2020  
** **11:40AM**

The Christmas tree had gone up a week before and the decorations had been strung the day after. It had taken until the day before--after rounds of arguing about what should go on top of the tree--but eventually everyone finally agreed on a cardboard cut-out of Tiger’s face because “He’s a star” (Luke, lovingly) and “He’s clearly the most photogenic” (Alex, only half-jokingly). 

_ You could call me babe for the weekend  
_ _ 'Tis the damn season, write this down _

Luke, balancing a steaming bowl of mash potatoes and a jug of iced tea, hollered from apartment B-23’s kitchen, “Charlie it’s CHRISTMAS why are you playing Taylor Swift.”

“Taylor Swift is in EVERY SEASON,” Charlie yelled back, sticking his head through the open door of apartment B-21. He stepped out and closed the door behind him, Tiger excitedly bounding ahead in a floppy, red, lopsided santa hat into B-23 and straight into Jessica. 

She dropped to her knees, joyfully cooing, “Look at his little hat!”

Alex stood beside her, sipping on his eggnog. Even from a distance Charlie could make out his grimace. Alex wasn’t a fan of eggnog and had made it very clear beforehand, but Charlie’s excitement was contagious and this recipe had been from his mother, and really, if it makes his sweet, sunshine personified boyfriend smile like that Alex would inhale a lot more of the concoction. 

Diego, Zach, and Chloe were already engaged in a round of Exploding Kittens on the coffee table. Charlie deposited another batch of cookies onto the table and made a beeline towards his boyfriend, his hand coming to rest at the small of his back, “You don’t have to drink it if you don’t like it.”

“I know,” Alex replied simply.

Charlie took the mug from Alex’s hand and turned it around, placing his lips over the spot where Alex had drank from as he took his own sip of the drink. It was a small gesture, but something about the intimacy of the small ritual struck a warm feeling down Alex’s spine. 

_ I don't want a lot for Christmas _ _  
_ _ There is just one thing I need _

(“Luke, I’m begging you please I’m so sick of this song,” Diego pleaded.

“SHUT YOUR HELL MOUTH AND GET FESTIVE DIEGO,” Luke hollered back.)

_ I don't care about the presents _ _  
_ _ Underneath the Christmas tree _

(“I swear I hear it so much it shows up in my dreams,” Jessica said, dropping into the chair behind Diego. He leaned back against her legs, her hand coming to lazily rest on his shoulder.)

_ I just want you for my own _ _  
_ _ More than you could ever know _

(“Babe,” Zach inclined his head towards Chloe, “Thoughts on this song?”

“Fun song but it hits differently when you’re drunk,” Chloe replied.

“Good different or bad different?” Zach asked. He lifted an arm and Chloe melted comfortably against his side.

“Good different.”)

_ Make my wish come true _ _  
_ _ All I want for Christmas is you _

Something wet and soft nudged Charlie’s hand, and Tigers appeared expectantly beside them. His big, soulful brown eyes looked between the couple and the group gathered around the table before trotting off, leaping onto the one of the two empty seats and making himself at home. 

Alex intertwined their fingers, tugging him towards the seat and Charlie obliged. He’d decided long ago that he would have followed Alex anywhere. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone. And I hope you like your gift Lisa <3


End file.
